” Coyotes have attacked at least 122 people between 1977 and 2008, including a three-year-old Glendale girl who died from the bites in 1981, according to two California professors who have chronicled the animals’ run-ins with humans in urban areas. Coyotes typically flee people, but frequent contact with humans can embolden them, with dangerous results.”

” Rex Baker, a professor emeritus of agricultural biology at Cal Poly Pomona, has spent years documenting the animals’ urban exploits, and believes the problem of coyote aggression is increasing. He and colleague Robert Timm, a researcher for the University of California’s agricultural extension, monitored reports of coyote attacks in the U.S. since 1977. California saw far more incidents of coyote aggression than any other state, with the 122 documented reports between 1977 and 2008. Arizona had 37 attacks during that time, Colorado had 12 and all remaining states had fewer than 10.”

” In 1981, a three-year-old Glendale girl, Kelly Keen, was fatally attacked by coyotes while playing in her front yard. Two coyotes killed a19-year-old Canadian woman, Taylor Mitchell, as she hiked alone in Cape Breton Highlands National Park in Nova Scotia in 2009. There have been other close calls. During one week in 2008, three young children were threatened or bitten by coyotes in San Bernardino County. In one of those incidents, a coyote grabbed a two-year-old girl by the head and tried to drag her from her yard in Lake Arrowhead, releasing her when the toddler’s mother approached. A week later, a nanny wrestled a two-year-old girl from the jaws of a coyote at a Chino Hills park.” – For complete article see http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2015/feb/01/san-diego-urban-coyote-bite/2/?#article-copy

CHIKUNGUNYA:

Global 02/02/15 immortal.org: by Christine Layton – A new study has found that Chikungunya virus and rheumatoid arthritis present similar symptoms and even test results, emphasizing the importance of accurate diagnosis. Chikungunya is transmitted by mosquitoes and it’s typically diagnosed in Central and South America, India, the Caribbean and Africa. Symptoms include fever and a rash, as well as severe joint pain that can last for weeks or up to one year. While mosquito-borne diseases are common in humid, equatorial areas, Chikungunya has made its way through Florida in recent years. In fact, the FDA may approve an experiment to release millions of genetically modified mosquitoes in Florida to combat dengue and Chikungunya in the United States. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis found that patients with rheumatoid arthritis often have the same symptoms, which may result in an inaccurate diagnosis and treatment, according to the Voice Chronicle. The researchers recommend doctors consider the travel and medical history of patients to avoid a misdiagnosis, as patients who have Chikungunya may be treated with medication for rheumatoid arthritis, which can worsen the condition, according to Daily Science Journal. With this new information about Chikungunya virus, health officials are concerned that the disease could become a diagnostic challenge over the new few years as the virus continues to gain ground in the United States. As blood samples are similar for rheumatoid arthritis and Chikungunya virus, doctors hope immune-suppression drugs that treat arthritis may help, according to Diabetes Insider. – See http://www.immortal.org/5037/chikungunya-virus-shows-similar-symptoms-rheumatoid-arthritis-may-cause-misdiagnosis/

HANTAVIRUS:

Harvest mouse.

California 02/01/15 outbreaknewstoday.com: Two western harvest mice tested positive for the potentially deadly hantavirus in the Fairbanks Ranch area of San Diego County, according to environmental health officials. This prompted officials to remind people to be careful whenever they find signs of rodents living in homes, sheds and garages. Officials said hantavirus is common in San Diego County, but people have very little chance of being exposed to it as long as wild rodents remain out of people’s living spaces. Infected rodents shed hantavirus through their saliva, urine and feces. Officials said people should never try to sweep or vacuum up rodent nests or droppings in homes and work places because it could stir hantavirus into the air where it can be breathed in if rodents are infected. “The best way to protect yourself is to avoid being exposed to rodents, by keeping them out of the areas you live in and work in,” said County Director of the Department of Environmental Health, Elizabeth Pozzebon. “But if you have to clean an area, be sure to use ‘wet-cleaning’ methods — ventilate areas, spray them with bleach solutions or disinfectants and use sponges and mops.” People who inhale the hantavirus can develop hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, which starts with flu-like symptoms but can grow into severe breathing difficulties that can kill. There is no vaccine or cure for hantavirus. The National Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that hantavirus kills nearly 40 percent of the people who get it. See http://outbreaknewstoday.com/hantavirus-detected-in-two-fairbanks-ranch-mice-38381/

RABIES:

South Carolina 01/30/15 Buncombe County: An unvaccinated family dog that was allowed to roam has tested positive for rabies. The virus was likely contracted due to exposure to an infected wild animal, possibly a raccoon. Health officials warn this dog may have exposed other animals or perhaps people to the virus. Anyone in the BlackMountain area who has had contact with an animal that was acting abnormally should contact the Buncombe County Sheriff’s Office at 828-250-6670. – See http://www.blackmountainnews.com/article/20150201/BLACKMOUNTAINNEWS/302010004/Rabies-case-reported-Black-Mountain?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Frontpage

Alaska 11/07/14 dailymail.co.uk: by John Hall – Helicopter rescue teams airlifted a 68-year-old American man to hospital after he was attacked by bears while hunting on a remote island off the coast of Alaska. The man, identified as Michael Snowden, was transported by coast guards to Kodiak Municipal Airport where he was passed on to medical services who treated him for serious leg injuries. It is understood a group of up to five bears attacked Mr Snowden and his friend Jeff Ostrin as they dragged the carcass of a deer they had shot through dense vegetation on Sally Island in Uganik Bay. The attack took place yesterday afternoon on a remote island off the southern coast of mainland Alaska. The state is home to 98 per cent of the United States’ total brown bear population.

Sally Island

Nathan Svoboda, a local wildlife biologist, gave details of the attack to Alaska Dispatch News. He said the two men were dragging a deer through vegetation when they stopped for lunch. No sooner had they sat down to eat when a large female bear charged at them. The animal reportedly attacked Snowden, biting and scratching his body before Ostrin, 38, shot the animal three times, killing it. Seconds later, more bears emerged, with Ostrin shooting and killing one of the cubs. The shooting apparently scared the rest of the animals away. The crew on board a fishing vessel witnessed the entire incident and reportedly raced to the shore to remove the men to the safety of the sea, with the captain calling the coast guard to the scene. – For complete article and video see http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2823354/Hunter-airlifted-hospital-coast-guard-savaged-five-bears-remote-island-coast-Alaska.htmlTICK PARALYSIS:

CANADA:

Western Blacklegged Tick

British Columbia 11/05/14 squamishchief.com: by Christine Wood – The first case of tickparalysis ever recorded in a wild animal was identified on the Sunshine Coast recently with the help of the Gibsons Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. Hikers on a trail near Burnett Road in March found a snowshoehare seemingly paralyzed from the waist down. The rabbit was brought to the centre, where Clint and Irene Davy examined it and found engorged ticks feeding on the animal’s neck. The ticks were removed and the animal was placed in a kennel and allowed to rest, but it soon stopped breathing and died. The Davys were unsure what had happened, but because they were already involved in a tick study being done by Ontario-based researcher John D. Scott, they sent the ticks off to Scott for examination. After about 100 hours of examination and research, Scott surmised the western blacklegged ticks sent in caused the snowshoe hare to become paralyzed and led to its death. “During tick feeding, Ixodes pacificus (black-legged tick) females expel neurotoxins which impede the electrical conductivity at nerve endings. Consequently, brain signals fail to reach body parts. In this case, the snowshoe hare could not propel itself,” Scott said. – For complete article see http://www.squamishchief.com/news/local-news/case-of-tick-paralysis-found-on-sunshine-coast-1.1526063

EBOLA:

Global 11/01/14 newyorker.com: Very interesting article about several aspects of the Ebola virus that we don’t yet understand. Written by Jerome Groopman, a New Yorker staff writer focusing primarily on issues related to medicine and biology. – See http://www.newyorker.com/news/news-desk/dont-know-ebola

PETS & ZOONOTIC DISEASE:

Global 11/04/14 huffingtonpost.com: by Donna Solomon, DVM – In 2012, the American Veterinary Medical Association estimated that 56 percent of all United States households own a pet. There are over 69 million dogs and 36 million cats in American households. Our pets are family members; we love, play, share our food, and celebrate holidays with them. In fact, a recent survey by a mattress company discovered that 71 percent of pet owners sleep with their pet. Of those pet owners who share their bed with their furry family member, 52 percent let their pet lie at their feet. Twenty-three percent snuggle with them, 11 percent share a pillow and 14 percent let them sleep underneath their covers. I admit my dog and two cats sleep on our bed. Am I concerned that I may catch a disease from my pet? Yes, as a practicing veterinarian I am acutely aware of bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans, called zoonotic diseases.

Giardia, a protozoa found in contaminated soil and water, is a zoonotic disease that causes diarrhea in pets and humans. I see this disease at least twice daily in my Chicago practice. A recent study found Giardia in the feces of 8 percent dogs and 4 percent cats in United States. Another zoonotic disease, called Leptospirosis, is transmitted by drinking water contaminated by urine of infected wildlife-like rats, mice, raccoons, opossums and skunks. It causes life-threatening kidney and liver disease. It is a rising cause of illness in my practice. My goal today is not to frighten you on the hazards of pet ownership and your enjoyment of wildlife, but to educate you on how to safely live with them in your home and from afar. – For a lengthy list of precautions see http://www.huffingtonpost.com/donna-solomon-dvm/safely-living-with-pets-d_b_6069134.html

WEST NILE VIRUS (WNV):

California 11/05/14 CA Dept of Public Health: There were 51 new WNV human cases reported in California this week from the following counties: Los Angeles (16), Orange (25), Riverside (2), San Bernardino (1), San Diego (3), Santa Clara (2), Sutter (1), and Ventura (1). This is the first WNV human case from Ventura County this year. 23 WNV-related fatalities have been reported to CDPH from eleven local health jurisdictions: Glenn (1), Long Beach City (2), Los Angeles (3), Orange (6), Placer (1), Sacramento (2), San Diego (1), Shasta (1), Stanislaus (2), Sutter (3), and Tehama (1). 705 human cases from 31 counties have tested positive for WNV in 2014. – See http://www.westnile.ca.gov/

Virginia 11/04/14 wtkr.com: by Becca Mitchell – The Peninsula Health District is searching for a medium-sized black dog that bit a child on Saturday while he was fundraising in the vicinity of Duer Drive in Williamsburg. If this Dog is not found, the victim may have to undergo post exposure treatment (shots) for the prevention of rabies. Once found, the animal will not be taken away from its owner, only placed on an in-home confinement period of 10 days. Anyone who has seen an animal that fits this description in this area is asked to contact the Peninsula Health District – Williamsburg Environmental Health at (757) 603-4277. After hours, please contact the James City County/Williamsburg Animal Control at 253-1800. – See http://wtkr.com/2014/11/04/peninsula-health-district-looking-for-medium-sized-black-dog-that-bit-a-child/

New Mexico 07/10/14 krwg.org: State officials today confirmed a case of tularemia in a 65-year-old female resident of Bernalillo County. The woman was hospitalized but has since recovered. At least 7 household pets have also been diagnosed with tularemia so far this year, 4 dogs and 3 cats from Santa Fe, Bernalillo and Los Alamos counties. – See http://krwg.org/post/serious-illness-found-people-and-pets-new-mexico

Rabies:

Connecticut 07/09/14 NewHaven County: A 3-month-old gray tabby kitten that bit twopeople has tested positive for rabies. The kitten was found screeching and acting strangely on a lawn along Hickory Road in Derby on July 5th. About ten others have had direct contact with the kitten’s saliva and other body fluids, and at least three dogs were also exposed. – See http://wtnh.com/2014/07/09/several-come-in-contact-with-rabid-kitten/

New York 07/10/14 Erie County: Steve Goodwin of Buffalo is looking for the owner(s) of a pit bull that attacked his dog on July 6th in the Nottingham Woods area of Delaware Park, near Lincoln Parkway. Goodwin grabbed the pit bull by the mouth to free his dog. which was being bitten on the throat. Now his concern is whether or not the pit bull has been vaccinated for rabies. The two people the pit bull was with drove away without providing Goodwin with any information. – For more details see http://wivb.com/2014/07/09/couple-searches-for-pit-bull-owner-after-attack/

North America 01/20/14 afmr.org: A new study suggests that Lyme disease may be sexually transmitted. The study was presented at the annual Western Regional Meeting of the American Federation for Medical Research, and an abstract of the research was published in the January issue of the Journal of Investigative Medicine. “Our findings will change the way Lyme disease is viewed by doctors and patients,” said Marianne Middelveen, lead author of the study presented in Carmel. “It explains why the disease is more common than one would think if only ticks were involved in transmission.”

In the study, researchers tested semen samples and vaginal secretions from three groups of patients: control subjects without evidence of Lyme disease, random subjects who tested positive for Lyme disease, and married heterosexual couples engaging in unprotected sex who tested positive for the disease. As expected, all of the control subjects tested negative for Borrelia burgdorferi in semen samples or vaginal secretions. In contrast, all women with Lyme disease tested positive for Borrelia burgdorferi in vaginal secretions, while about half of the men with Lyme disease tested positive for the Lyme spirochete in semen samples. Furthermore, one of the heterosexual couples with Lyme disease showed identical strains of the Lyme spirochete in their genital secretions. “The presence of the Lyme spirochete in genital secretions and identical strains in married couples strongly suggests that sexual transmission of the disease occurs,” said Dr. Mayne. “We don’t yet understand why women with Lyme disease have consistently positive vaginal secretions, whilst semen samples are more variable. Obviously there is more work to be done here.” – See press release at http://www.onlineprnews.com/news/454866-1390261507-lyme-disease-may-be-sexually-transmitted-study-suggests.html

Georgia 01/16/14 Harris County: Officials have issued a Rabies Alert after a fox attacked two pets in Catuala on Preston Road Jan 14th. The fox has since tested positive for the virus. – See http://www.wtvm.com/story/24471421/breaking

Texas 01/20/14 Hill County: A cat that bit a woman on the toe January 14th has tested positive for rabies. The incident occurred at the woman’s residence on First Street in Mount Calm. The woman and her daughter, 9, are being treated for potential exposure to the virus, and seven other cats at the residence were impounded and will be euthanized. – See http://hillsbororeporter.com/rabies-case-reported-in-mount-calm-p17289-54.htm

Texas 01/20/14 West Texas: The Texas Department of State Health Services is preparing to launch its 20th annual airdrop of rabies vaccine in portions of the state. The effort has successfully eliminated the canine strain of rabies and virtually eliminated the fox strain of rabies in Texas by vaccinating coyotes and gray foxes in a wide swath of southern and western Texas over the last 20 years. Now, the Oral Rabies VaccinationProgram is testing an expanded effort to vaccinate skunks. The 2014 ORVP will begin with planes taking off from an airport in Del Rio on January 15 and from Zapata and Alpine on or about January 21. Those aircraft will drop vaccine baits over rural areas along the Rio Grande to maintain protection against rabies as animals migrate in and out of the state. “Skunks and bats are now the animals in Texas most likely to have and spread rabies,” said Dr. Laura Robinson, ORVP director. “Early tests involving skunks have been promising, and we’re hopeful that expanding our study area will help show us the best way to eliminate skunk rabies in Texas.” A small bait drop will occur on or about January 25 in an area centered on the Concho/McCulloch countyline where a single cow tested positive for the Texas fox strain of rabies in 2013. Finally, starting on or about January 26 DSHS will begin the expanded effort to vaccinate skunks. Baits will be dropped over rural areas and wildlife habitats in the expanded skunk study zone, covering an area from Madison and Walkercounties running southwest to BastropCounty then southeast to WallerCounty. – See http://bigbendnow.com/2014/01/aerial-vaccine-drops-to-combat-rabies-begins-next-week-in-far-west-texas/

Caribbean Basin 01/23/14 fodors.com: by Catie L’Heureux – Several Caribbean islands are facing a mosquito-borne virus outbreak, with more than 480 cases reported in the region as of January 20th. Fortunately, there’s no need to cancel your winter getaway yet—but be sure to keep track of the latest news on the virus and take any necessary precautions before traveling there. Caribbean’s Mosquito-Borne Virus Prompts Travel Precautions First, the facts: The chikungunya virus is spread by bites from an infected female Aedes aegypti mosquito, and this is the first time the virus has appeared in the Caribbean. Since the disease was first recorded in 1952, it has affected millions of people in Africa and Asia. In December 2013, there were only 10 confirmed cases in St. Martin. Now, according to a January 20th report from the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), “confirmed/probable” chikungunya virus cases are present in the following islands: St. Martin with the highest number of 294 cases and the death of an elderly man who contracted the virus but was already severely ill; Martinique, 127; St. Barthelemy , 31; Guadeloupe , 27; Saint Maarten, three; British Virgin Islands, three; Dominica, one; and French Guiana, one.

The most common symptoms, which can take up to seven days to appear, include high fever and joint pain in the wrists and ankles. Although symptoms often last three to 10 days, joint pain can last longer and be more debilitating, but severe hospitalization cases are rare. Because there is no vaccine to prevent or cure the virus, treatment focuses on allieviating the symptoms. “The fact that it is a new virus to the region, that is why this is such a concern,” a medical entomologist who works for CARPHA said. She noted that there are high populations of the Aedes aegypti mosquito in all of the Caribbean islands. People also frequently travel between the islands, which helps spread the virus. CARPHA, the World Health Organization, and other key organizations are working to reduce the outbreak by eliminating the mosquitoes’ potential breeding sites. The good news? “There is no need to cancel plans,” the CARPHA medical entomologist said. “We’re not at that point. None of our borders have been closed.”

National 08/13/13 ucdavis.edu: A new cowvirus that causes neurologic symptoms reminiscent of mad cow disease has been identified and its genome sequenced by a team of researchers including scientists at the University of California, Davis. While this particular new virus is unlikely to pose a threat to human health or the food supply, the new findings are critically important because they provide researchers with a relatively simple diagnostic tool that can reassure both ranchers and consumers by ruling out bovine spongiform encephalopathy — mad cow disease — as the cause of neurologic symptoms when they appear in cattle. Results of the study appear online in the September issue of the Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal, published by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In this new study, Dr. Patricia Pesavento, a veterinary pathologist in the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, and other researchers analyzed brain tissue from a yearling steer with neurologic symptoms of unknown cause. Through this analysis, they discovered a new virus that belongs to the astrovirus family.

Dr. Patricia Pesavento

Further study of brain tissue samples, preserved from earlier examinations of 32 cattle with unexplained neurologic symptoms, revealed the presence of this astrovirus in three of those animals. The researchers used “metagenomic” techniques to sequence this astrovirus species — now referred to as BoAstV0NeuroS. – For complete news release see http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10688

Plague:

New Mexico 08/12/13 NM Department of Health: State officials have confirmed that a 15-year-old male from Torrance County has the first human case of plague reported in the United States this year. The boy is currently hospitalized in stable condition. Plague is a bacterial disease of rodents and is generally transmitted to humans through the bites of infected fleas, but can also be transmitted by direct contact with infected animals, including rodents, wildlife and pets.- For complete news release see http://www.health.state.nm.us/CommunicationsOffice/2013%20News%20Releases/NMDOH-PressRelease-20130812-Plague-EN.pdf

New Mexico 08/13/13 NM Department of Health: Officials have confirmed that an 83-year-old male from Curry County is the state’s first WNV-related fatality so far this year. A 66-year-old female from Curry County also tested positive for the virus, but she is recovering. New Mexico’s first case of West Nile infection this year was in a 13-year-old male from San Juan County who has recovered. – See http://www.kdbc.com/news/nm-department-health-announces-first-west-nile-death-2013

Vermont 08/14/13 western border and Chittendon County: An aerial rabiesbait drop will begin August 19th into carefully plotted corridors of remote lowland areas and valleys along the Vermont border and northern Chittendon County. Bait packets will be distributed by hand in urban areas. The baits are described as a dark green, sweet-smelling, vanilla-coated blister pack. Officials say the baits are not harmful to children or pets if touched or eaten, but the pellets should not be handled or disturbed. – See http://rutlandherald.com/article/20130814/NEWS03/708149881

Yukon 08/09/13 cbc.ca: A worker in a remote bush camp has walked away with fairly minor injuries after an encounter with a female grizzly bear Thursday. The incident happened at a fly-in mineral exploration camp near Wolf Lake about 60 kilometres north of Swift River in the southern Yukon. Ryan Hennings, a Yukon government conservation officer, said the two-woman crew had observed a sow and two cubs almost three weeks earlier but they’d seen nothing since until the incident late Thursday morning. Hennings said it was a surprise encounter for both the woman and the bear, which began when she heard her dog bark to alert her. The bear was about 20 metres away when it charged her, and she tried to pulled her backpack over her head to protect her neck and skull. “As she was pulling the backpack over her head, the bear swiped at her and caught her in the arm and she’s got two large claw wounds, like deep scratches, in her arm and a third one in the back of her elbow,” he said. “So she was knocked to the ground. The bear kind of hoofed and hawed for a really brief second and then turned around and left.” The bear gathered her cubs and vanished.

Hennings said the worker’s partner was on an opposite slope and witnessed the brief encounter, before running to help. They called their employer via satellite phone. Company officials and conservation officers then flew in by helicopter. The injured worker received treatment at Whitehorse General Hospital. Hennings said there’s no risk to the public and the bear will be left alone. – See http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/story/2013/08/09/north-grizzly-bear-attack-yukon.html

Kansas 08/08/13 KS Department of Health: State health officials have confirmed the first human case of WNV in the state has been diagnosed in an adult residing in Atchison County. Also, the first mosquito in the state to test positive for WNV was trapped in Sedgwick County. – See http://www.gbtribune.com/section/1/article/57520/

Massachusetts 08/07/13 tauntongazette.com: by Amy Carboneau – The number of mosquito pools that have tested positive for WNV is up to 64 statewide, which include recent findings in Raynham, Easton and Lakeville. . . . In the greater Brockton area, WNV has now been found in Abington, Brockton, Easton, Hanover, Lakeville, Randolph, Raynham, Rockland, West Bridgewater, Whitman. – See http://www.tauntongazette.com/newsnow/x1676645466/West-Nile-virus-found-in-Raynham

Alabama 08/07/13 AL Department of Public Health: This year, 21 cases of rabies have been reported to the USDA Wildlife Services from Chilton, Jefferson, Shelby and St. Claircounties. Two of those cases have been from domestic animals; a dog in the Columbiana area of Shelby County and a cat in the Leeds area of Jefferson County. The virus has been reported often east of the Coosa River for years, but more rabid raccoons are being reported on the west side now.– See http://www.alabamas13.com/story/23077490/cases-of-rabies-have-risen-in-the-greater-birmingham-area

Pennsylvania 08/07/13 Allegheny County: Health officials have announced that the annual raccoonrabiesvaccinebaitingprogram will be conducted August 12-16. The baits, specially made for raccoons and laced with rabies vaccine, are small plastic packets coated with fishmeal or one-square-inch blocks of compressed fishmeal. Health Department workers, wearing T-shirts and driving vehicles marked to identify them as part of the “Rabies Control Team,” will distribute about 230,000 baits by hand in all municipalities on foot and from vehicles. The public is asked to keep their pets on a leash, indoors or confined to their property as much as possible during the next two weeks, because while the baits are not harmful to pets, health officials don’t want them to find and eat the baits instead of raccoons. –For complete press release see http://www.achd.net/pr/pubs/2013release/080713_bait.html

National 07/29/13: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects both animals and humans, and it’s more prevalent this year because of heavier rain. There are about 100 strains that are recognized, but most vets vaccinate for the four most common in the U.S. The bacteria are spread through the urine of infected hosts, which can get into water or soil and can survive there for weeks to months. Many different wild and domestic animals carry the disease. Humans can become infected through contact with the urine or other body fluids, but not saliva, of infected animals, or through contact with water, soil, or food contaminated with the urine of infected animals. The bacteria can enter the body through skin or mucous (eyes, nose, or mouth) membranes, especially if the skin is broken from a cut or scratch. Drinking contaminated water can also cause infection. Person to person transmission is rare. In humans, leptospirosis can cause a wide range of flu-like symptoms and lasts from a few days to 3 or more weeks. Without treatment, recovery may take several months. Leptospirosis is an occupational hazard for many who work outdoors or with animals, and it has been associated with recreational activities in contaminated lakes and rivers. According to a recent article in The Blade of Toledo by Tanya Irwin, the disease is endemic in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.– For Tanya Irwin’s article see http://www.toledoblade.com/Medical/2013/07/29/Flulike-bacteria-sickens-people-and-pets-alike.html and for more information about Leptospirosis see http://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/index.html

Trichinosis:

Canada:

Ontario 07/26/13 owensoundsuntimes.com: by Tracey Richardson – A Bruce County child has had the extremely rare distinction of acquiring trichinosisfrom pork — something that was thought to have been eradicated from the province for decades. Trichinosis is caused by small roundworms of the trichinella species. Infective larvae are transferred by the consumption of raw or undercooked infected meat. The problem was most prevalent in swine until government regulations and inspections clamped down on the industry. The last swine outbreak in Ontario happened in 1977. Until this January, the last human case of trichinosis associated with the consumption of infected domestic pork occurred in 1980. There was an outbreak in Ontario in 1993 among a couple of dozen people who’d eaten smoked wild boar meat. Nowadays, trichinosis is usually confined to meat from wild animals. . . . .

The Bruce County case happened in January this year at a Mennonite farm, said Grey Bruce medical officer of health Dr. Hazel Lynn. The farm was non-commercial and the pig was slaughtered and consumed on the farm. No part of the animal ever entered the commercial food supply. News of the case was mentioned in passing at the public health board’s monthly meeting Friday. Lynn said the child was diagnosed by an “astute” pediatrician in London, although the child recovered without treatment. Lynn said when the farmer acquired the piglet, it was free of trichinella. “So it happened between being a tiny piglet and growing up to be slaughtered,” she said. “However their animal husbandry on the farm was pretty old style, so anything left over got fed to the pigs. Now if you cook it all, it’s OK. But also there were rats around, which many barns have, whether or not they’re well looked after, and that’s probably where this pig got it.” It’s believed the child consumed infected smoked ham or sausage from the infected pig. Smoking the meat does not heat it to a high enough temperature to kill the larvae. The CFIA recommends cooking all wild game meat, pork and horse meat to an internal temperature of at least 71 degrees C. – For complete article see http://www.owensoundsuntimes.com/2013/07/26/rare-trichinosis-happened-on-bruce-county-farm

California 07/27/13 Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District: GLACVCD has confirmed more WNV positive test results in 25 mosquito samples and three dead birds collected throughout its jurisdiction. This is the first sign of virus activity this year in Burbank, Elysian Valley, Encino, Granada Hills, North Hills, Santa Clarita and Watts. Please refer to chart for a breakdown of the latest WNV activity. – For article and chart see http://hometownstation.com/santa-clarita-news/west-nile-virus-has-been-found-mosquito-scv-36585

North Carolina 07/26/13 Wake County: A fox that came in contact with a resident of the 1000 block of Valleystone Drive in Cary on Thursday has tested positive for rabies. A Rabies Alert has been issued for those living in the vicinity of the High House Road and Davis Drive intersection. – For map of the area see http://abclocal.go.com/wtvd/story?section=news/local&id=9186608

Follow-Up Report:

(See – Officials fear a “large number” of people in TIVERTON, RHODE ISLAND, may have been exposed to RABIES – posted July 27, 2013)

Rhode Island 07/27/13 providencejournal.com: by Felice J. Freyer: Laboratory testshave ruled out rabies as the cause of a brown calf’s death on Friday, the second of two calves that died near a Tiverton ice cream shop. But it still isn’t known what killed the brown calf. And the Health Department’s advice remains the same for people who came in contact with the black-and-white calf that died July 21 in the same pasture, next to Gray’s Ice Cream shop. People who came in contact with that calf, known as Oreo, between July 5 and July 21 should call the Health Department at (401) 222-2577 to find out if they should receive rabies shots. Oreo died six days after biting a child, but word of its death did not reach authorities in time to test the calf for rabies. Rabies remains a possibility for Oreo. Oreo was removed from direct public contact on July 16, and only the animal’s handlers may have been exposed from July 16 through July 21. There is no risk of rabies for those who came in contact with the calf before July 5. – For complete article see http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20130727-r.i.-health-department-rules-out-rabies-in-death-of-second-tiverton-calf.ece

Jerry Genesio

Author of "UNSEEN HAZARDS That Threaten Hunters, Campers, and Hikers: What you should know about pathogens commonly found in wildlife."

This is where wildlife and healthcare professionals, hunters, campers, hikers, anglers, and other outdoor enthusiasts will find interesting information about natural unseen hazards that place them at risk. As my book focused exclusively on Rabies, Tetanus (Lockjaw), Tularemia (Rabbit Fever), Brucellosis (Undulant Fever), Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Borrelia (Lyme Disease), posts regarding these six diseases will be limited to more recent developments and items of interest that were not included or were not available when the book was published in June of 2009. Topics will also include Chronic Wasting Disease, West Nile Virus, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and other diseases of particular interest to those who work and play in the great American outdoors.

Don’t Be Afraid – Be Aware!

The Natural Unseen Hazards blog is available to all free of charge and is maintained as a public service.

If you have questions related to pathogens commonly found in wildlife, e.g. the disease caused by a specific pathogen, hosts, vectors, symptoms, treatment, territorial range, etc., please comment here or e-mail to jerrygenesio@gmail.com and I will attempt to provide answers.

"Chance favors the prepared mind."
Louis Pasteur

Unless otherwise noted, images have been provided by the CDC Public Health Image Library, Wikimedia Commons, the National Park Service or other government agencies, Bing.com, and/or Google.com.

"Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less."
Marie Curie

"It's better to look ahead and prepare, than to look back and regret."
Jackie Joyner Kersee